Junior, Assistant, Associate, or Full Specialist - Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco seeks a highly motivated Specialist to join our team in advancing clinical, translational, and health services research. This position offers the opportunity to work at the intersection of orthopaedic medicine and public health, contributing directly to research that shapes patient care, informs policy, and advances musculoskeletal science within one of the nation's premier academic medical centers.

As a Specialist, you'll take on a central role in the research process, coordinating studies, managing regulatory processes, and analyzing data that fuels discovery. You'll work closely with leading surgeon-scientists and public health researchers in a collaborative, mission-driven environment built for growth.

This role is ideal for someone who is detail-oriented, intellectually curious, and eager to build a career in orthopaedic surgery, clinical research, public health, academic medicine, or healthcare innovation, with UCSF as the launchpad.

Key Responsibilities:

Study Coordination and Regulatory Compliance

• Assist with development of research protocols, including drafting scholarly content for Institutional Review Board (IRB) applications, amendments, and continuing reviews
• Track study timelines, milestones, and deliverables, and grant reporting deadlines (e.g., NIH Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPRs)
• Coordinate meetings with investigators, collaborators, research staff, and other project stakeholders

Data Management

• Design, maintain, and oversee secure research databases and data management systems (e.g., REDCap, Excel), ensuring data integrity and organization

Scholarly Activity

• Collect, clean, validate, and manage quantitative and qualitative research data
• Conduct quantitative and qualitative data analyses using statistical and qualitative software (e.g., R, SPSS, Dedoose)
• Assist with interpretation of findings and preparation of results for dissemination
• Prepare and maintain grant progress reports and supporting documentation (e.g., NIH RPPRs, OREF reports)
• Assist with the preparation, submission, and resubmission of grant proposals and other sponsored research applications
• Contribute to manuscript and abstract preparation, assist with data interpretation, and help prepare presentations for national and international scientific meetings.

Basic Qualifications

• Junior Specialist: Baccalaureate degree (or equivalent degree) in epidemiology, biostatistics, public health, clinical research, health sciences, or a related field.
• Assistant Specialist: Master's degree (M.S., M.A., M.P.H., or equivalent degree) in epidemiology, biostatistics, public health, clinical research, health sciences, or a related field.
• Associate Specialist: Master's degree (or equivalent degree) in epidemiology, biostatistics, public health, clinical research, health sciences, or a related field.
• Full Specialist - Terminal degree (or equivalent degree) in epidemiology, biostatistics, public health, clinical research, health sciences, or a related field.
• Applicants must have obtained the degree requirement for the Specialist rank by the time of hire.
• Applicants' materials must list current and/or pending qualifications upon submission.

Additional Qualifications

• Experience with clinical research methods and human subjects research.
• Proficiency with statistical analysis software (e.g., R, SPSS, or equivalent).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work collaboratively with collaborators, patients, clinic staff, and multidisciplinary teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience in orthopaedic, musculoskeletal, or surgical research
• Experience with IRB submissions and regulatory processes
• Experience with database management platforms (e.g. REDCap)
• Authorship or contribution to peer-reviewed publications
• Knowledge of outcomes research, quality improvement, or health services research
• Spanish fluency

Professional Development Opportunities

• Mentorship from an academic orthopaedic surgeon-scientist
• Opportunities for co-authorship on peer-reviewed publications
• Exposure to grant development and research design/implementation
• Participation in departmental research conferences and academic meetings

Work Environment

This position is based within a dynamic, nationally recognized academic Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. The role involves close collaboration with faculty, fellows, residents, biostatisticians, and multidisciplinary research teams. This is a patient-facing role that allows interaction with patients at the Orthopaedic Institute and the San Francisco General Hospital.

See Table 24B for the salary range for this position. A reasonable estimate for this position is $65,800 - $201,700.

Click here to apply.

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As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

UCSF is committed to welcoming and serving all people, honoring the dignity of every individual without preference or prejudice, in support of its public mission and in alignment with our PRIDE values and Principles of Community.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

* "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, or discrimination, as defined by the employer.

* UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy

* UC Anti-Discrimination Policy

* APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment